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Metroparks vote good investment

Voters will decide May 6 whether to renew and extend funding for Erie MetroParks when they vote on Issue 4.

The countywide parks system represents an investment in the community and voters should consider that investment carefully when they cast their ballots next month.

The Erie Metroparks commissioners — Randly Glovinsky, Don Meiers and Kurt Landefeld — have been good stewards of taxpayer money and expanded the park system's services. If approved by voters, the measure's annual cost for a homeowner with a $100,000 home will be $36, a slight increase from the current millage.

The levy is a main funding source for the district, which, in our opinion, is an investment that improves the quality of life in our region.

From canoe launches to lacrosse tournaments, to birdwatching services, the Metroparks system is an economic driver in the county and a major contributor to the quality of life for residents. It operates 11 locations, from the Castalia Quarry Metropark to Edison Woods, providing opportunities for residents and tourists to enjoy outdoor activities and nature programming.

A good parks system is a key building block for any community. We urge voters to consider those quality of life issues and the return on investment Erie Metroparks provides when they vote on Issue 4.

Comments

Dinghy Gal

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 6:57am

Vote no! They've already proven their mismanagement skills.

KnuckleDragger

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 7:49am

If they need money, they can sell some of the huge expanse of prime lakefront property they've gobbled up over the years. Time to turn that property over to developers so it can become tax generating instead of tax consuming. If they can't afford to take care of all that property they shouldn't have bought it up thinking the taxpayers would foot the bill. Vote NO.

Factitious

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 9:03am

No, they can't sell that property. That's just stupid. The land was sold by the prior owners at bargain prices because they wanted The People of Erie County to have it, and and now there are deed restrictions.

By your logic, there should be no such thing as a park or a nature preserve, and that's stupid, too.

KnuckleDragger

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 10:00am

Having visited these lakefront parks (3 times per week) to walk I would say keeping them off the tax rolls is stupid. I encounter very few people taking advantage of them. If you wanna keep 'em why don't you go write a check to support them, I'm sure they won't turn you down. There is no reason to utilize the vast majority of shoreline as on big nature preserve. They could cut it by half and still have a huge nature preserve.

Licorice Schtick

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 5:04pm

By far the greatest part of Erie County has been converted to human use, but for some people, even one square foot of protected land is too much. I can understand why some greedy person would want to take a park from The People and exploit it for himself, but what's demoralizing is that nitwits who have no hope of exploiting the land themselves think somehow they'll be marginally better off if someone else does it, when in fact they'll most likely be worse off.

Whiskey Tango F...

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 8:01am

Yet another no here... Don't agree to use a family's property one way and then change the deal later! Where's that one ending up? In court AGAIN! Vote NO!

Licorice Schtick

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 9:21am

Ignore the hate from cranks who misdirect their anger at the government that they blame for their own failures. The criticism is unfounded. Erie MetroParks has done exactly what they're supposed to do to look out for the public interest.

Erie MetroParks is a great deal!

VOTE YES!

.

SamAdams

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 9:23am

Are parks nice? Yes. Are outdoor venues for various activities good? Sure!

Now ask yourself some MORE questions: Are land grabs nice? Are thousands and thousands of YOUR dollars wasted on legal fees good?

The parks aren't the problem, and all of us who will vote "no" on this increase aren't pretending that they are. It's not even all individuals associated with the parks that are at issue here! Given past history, it seems the REAL crux of the matter is the system itself. I grant that there are good intentions, but corruption and incompetence has ensured that those good intentions have once again paved the road to you-know-where.

NO.

Factitious

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 5:09pm

Nothing that has anything to do with the East Sandusky Bay can reasonably described as a "land grab." That's just an unsubstantiated and undefined smear that the opponents of the project made up, because they couldn't come up with a better case against it.

SamAdams

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 9:38pm

I'm not talking about East Sandusky Bay (though there are a few questions involved there as well). But I'd note that legitimate land acquisitions made by Erie MetroParks in no way mitigates those land grabs that were ILLEGITIMATE.

Licorice Schtick

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 11:03am

If you're taking about the Greenway, there are two sides to that story, one of which was reported in this paper. But in any event, that was a different Park Board, a different management, and a different time. Get over it.

MetroParks is good for Erie County. Vote YES!

Nemesis

Wed, 04/23/2014 - 11:37pm

"If you're taking about the Greenway, there are two sides to that story, one of which was reported in this paper."

There is no side where they didn't steal land that even the railroad TOLD them wasn't theirs.

"But in any event, that was a different Park Board, a different management, and a different time. Get over it."

They are the same power-mad statist thugs as the prior board. How do we know? The current board decided to double down on the prior board's stupidity and go to the mats trying to justify their crime. Not ONE EMP official has, to date, publicly acknowledged the wrongdoing, admitted being wrong, apologized, or, most importantly, expressed a commitment never to repeat such actions. THAT, if it happened, would get my yes vote on this levy, but I won't hold my breath.

Factitious

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 11:26am

Along with other hate speech, the opponents of the East Sandusky Bay Preserve described it as a land grab, without really saying what that means, because if they did, it could be shown to be wrong, point by point.

Like any pejorative, the definition is fuzzy, because it get applied to various actions the accusers dislike. It's rhetorical strategy resorted to when no better argument exists.

JERRY from SANDUSKY

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 9:33am

VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO VOTE NO

PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAYPAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY PAY FOR PLAY

IM tired of the freebee people wrecking things.
IM tired of the freebee people wrecking things.
IM tired of the freebee people wrecking things.

THIS THE ONLY FAiR WAY TO DO IT.
This is the only fair way to do it.
this is the only fair way to do it.

Do you get the message people time to take back our and town are County.

Licorice Schtick

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 11:08am

Very convincing argument.

JERRY from SANDUSKY

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 9:48am

1.You can start by making sure no one makes over $100,000 in this city or County.

2.If they don't like it go get a job someplace else. We can get people like them for a lot less money.

3.Close all parks until we meet our deficits then pay for play.

Whiskey Tango F...

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 11:32am

I want a new truck. I can't afford the payments, fuel, insurance, or maintenance on the existing vehicle that was given to me by a family who wanted me to have the truck. Will everyone in erie county please mail me enough money to not only pay for my current truck, but also the new shiny truck that I am clearly entitled to.
Looks pretty stupid when I ask for it... Why are we giving it to them?

Whiskey Tango F...

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 11:37am

Oops I forgot to add that I have a huge drinking problem, love to off-road my existing free truck on other families private property, and I won't take responsibility for my previous bad decisions. I also need these funds for my legal fees and new parts to fix the truck. HA HA HA!!!
NO! no more money!

Factitious

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 5:16pm

Erie MetroParks buys used vehicles from the state at very good prices. It is unreasonable to expect them to never make a mistake, but they've been careful about what they spend. The people who work there are dedicated and don't make a lot of money.

They've earned a yes vote, but more important, the people of Erie County deserve the benefits of a yes vote.

This is a good proposal and not a lot of money.

VOTE YES.

Nemesis

Wed, 04/23/2014 - 11:38pm

"It is unreasonable to expect them to never make a mistake, but they've been careful about what they spend. "

They didn't just make a mistake, they committed a crime, and when challenged on it, doubled down on stupid to the tune of millions in legal fees. That's not careful spending. Nor is a frisbee golf course for a fringe special interest group. Then there's the favoritism in applying pay-to-play fees to some constituencies and not others.

"You complaints about the Park Board's alleged arrogance and insufficient accountability are without substance."

After the Greenway debacle that statement destroys any credibility of the entire levy support faction might ever have had.

xtensionofme

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 11:38am

I have to say, I love the Metro Parks, but after reading all the comments here, it doesn't make much sense for the tax payers to have to support something they didn't ask for in the first place. I agree - if they couldn't afford to care for the property, they shouldn't have acquired so much of it. Also, every time I've ever visited, there are few, if any, other patrons there. Sorry - it's NO for me, too.

SilentMajority

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 12:03pm

Parks are good, but let's consider that Erie County is mostly a rural area. It's not hard to find "nature" at work. EMP has a history of mismanaging taxpayer money and showing an arrogant attitude towards the very people that they keep coming back to for more money. Considering that the park board is appointed, the accountability to the general public is removed, and thus IMO why the board has shown their arrogant attitude in the past. While I realize that the board members have changed, there is a lot of damage in the history of EMP. I will be voting NO.

Factitious

Mon, 04/21/2014 - 5:26pm

Corn and bean fields are agriculture, not nature. The few privately-held natural areas are not available to the public, and the penalties for trespassing in Ohio are not trivial, even when absolutely no harm is done.

You complaints about the Park Board's alleged arrogance and insufficient accountability are without substance, but even if justified, how is no parks at all better? There's absolutely no accountability to the public at all for the owners of private lands. Only a fool cuts off his nose to spite his face.

SanduskyGuardian

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 2:44am

I really wish EMP would set aside some of this excess land to be a park intended for older gay men. Most everywhere else I have traveled there are parks where men can go to find other men looking for similar interactions. Sometimes it is just guys seeking fun, sometimes its hot dudes looking to make a few extra dollars, but we need this locally.

SilentMajority

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 6:41am

Sheldon Marsh. Old Woman Creek. East Harbor State Park. Huron Pier. Huron Parks, Resthaven, Pickerel Creek, Lions Park....need I go on. These are names that I came up with in less than 2 minutes that are not affiliated with EMP. Not all corn fields and private property. Don't tell me that my complaints about arrogance and lack of accountability are without substance. That is your opinion. My opinion is that there HAS been an egregious history with EMP. Only a fool doesn't apply the tourniquet to stop the needless bleeding.

Julie R.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 12:56pm

When did Metroparks get property on Hull Road? I never even noticed it until a couple of weeks ago when I saw the Metroparks sign and all the trails that were made. Also, I've been going down Hull Road for years and have never seen a deer on that road until a couple of weeks ago. Three of them ran out of Metroparks right in front of me. I don't know how I ever kept from hitting them. I hope people that go down Hull Road are aware of the deer that are running there now. Erie County better be putting up signs before there's a serious accident.

Informed

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 5:17pm

It's been there for years now. Don't know where you've been.

Julie R.

Wed, 04/23/2014 - 3:56pm

It might have been there for years but I never saw those trails before. All those Metroparks signs weren't there, either. Those just went up a few weeks ago.

Nemesis

Wed, 04/23/2014 - 11:35pm

TWO parks have abutted Hull Road for at least 7 years. There have been signs in front of the dog park on Hull Road for at least 6 years. Wake up and take off the tinfoil hat.

Julie R.

Thu, 04/24/2014 - 2:00pm

I see signs in Huron that say Support Metroparks ~ btw, I sure don't ~ but once again, I never saw any signs on Hull Road about a dog park and Metroparks up until a couple of weeks ago. If the signs have been there for 6 years, I don't know how I ever missed them. Neither have I ever encountered any deer on that road up until a couple of weeks ago when three of them came running out of the "dog park" and ran right in front of me.

As an afterthought ---- all that good land on Hull Road is being used by Metroparks as a dog park? What a total waste of good property!

Nemesis

Sat, 04/26/2014 - 9:20am

Funny how the way I discovered the existence of the dog park six years ago was by the sign as I drove by.

No deer came out of the dog park, as it's fenced and, to a deer, reeks of predator pheremones. The dog park has less than 300 feet of frontage on Hull Road and has the highest utilization per square foot of any place in the Metroparks.

Finally, there is open ground for at least 30 feet from the road where the Metroparks front on Hull Road, more than enough warning to see deer. Frankly, you're betraying a level of situational awareness behind the wheel that suggests maybe it's time to hang up the car keys.